Teofimo Lopez Vs. Shakur Stevenson Breakdown

Originally posted on BoxingNews.com | Last updated Dec 2, 2025 2:50 AM ET

WBO Junior Welterweight Champion Teofimo Lopez will defend his title against the undefeated Shakur Stevenson on January 31 in New York.

Lopez will enjoy the home-crowd advantage as he makes the fourth defense of his WBO Junior Welterweight Title. Lopez captured the 140-pound belt in June 2023 with a victory over Josh Taylor. He enters this fight following a unanimous decision win over Arnold Barboza Jr. in May. A win over Stevenson would arguably be the biggest of his career, akin to when he defeated Vasiliy Lomachenko. Meanwhile, Stevenson is moving up a weight class to make his debut at 140 pounds. Stevenson is fresh off a successful WBC Lightweight title defense, where he beat William Zepeda via a unanimous decision in July. A victory makes Stevenson a four-division world champion.

Reaction

“This fight between two huge talents will provide an exciting start to our plans for 2026 and as we look to create another great year of boxing events around the world. We are looking forward to returning to New York in January and producing another big world title fight that fans have been waiting for,” Turki Alalshikh

“I have never shied away from a challenge and always chased the biggest fights in the sport because I know I am one of the best boxers in the world. Teofimo Lopez will learn that firsthand on January 31 when I take his belt and show him that there are levels to this game,” Stevenson

“Duck, Duck, Goose! Are you ready for New York City? Brick city in the concrete jungle, so let’s get ready to rumble! The Takeover is here to stay, not play. Make Boxing Great Again is my forte. Shakur will fall in nine,” Lopez

The Approach

Lopez’s strategy will be focused on using his size and power at 140 pounds. Teo is a master of counter-punching. He will look to lure Stevenson into a false sense of security before unleashing fast, powerful combinations. Teo must cut off Stevenson’s angles, forcing him to fight closer to the ropes. He will employ controlled aggression, walking Stevenson down. Since Stevenson is difficult to hit cleanly, Lopez must commit to the body early and often.

Stevenson’s game plan is to frustrate López into being reckless and win rounds clearly and precisely. Stevenson’s jab is his most critical weapon. He will use it as a probe, a scoring tool, and a measuring stick to keep Lopez at his preferred range. Stevenson will rely on his superb head movement, shoulder roll, and subtle stance switches to ensure Lopez’s power shots miss. By causing Teo to expend massive energy missing, Stevenson can deflate the champion.

This article first appeared on BoxingNews.com and was syndicated with permission.

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